


Breaking Point

by Audrey_Lynne



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Confrontations, Emotional Hurt, F/F, Friendship, Moral Ambiguity, Overzealousness, Past Child Death, Regret, Secrets, breaking point, gemling verse, otherwise canon compliant, the Rose/Bismuth showdown, the gemlings are just part of the universe's history
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 11:42:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8012350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audrey_Lynne/pseuds/Audrey_Lynne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bismuth has a new weapon and Rose is excited to see what it can do - until she does, and then she knows she has to stop it.  But Bismuth isn't going to let things go that easily, and she'll pull out all the stops to change Rose's mind.  Including throwing one of the Crystal Gems' greatest tragedies in Rose's face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breaking Point

**Author's Note:**

> So...this was in my head, and it wasn't fitting into my planned arc for Rosebud - which, yes, I'm still working on! Life's been wild lately. So it's set in that universe, where Rose and Pearl had three gemlings before the Gem war escalated...and they didn't survive the war. There's nothing else you really need to know if you haven't been following that story - with the exception of that detail, I tried to stay as close to canon as possible.

* * *

 

Bismuth's eyes always lit up when she had a new weapon design to show Rose, and this was no exception. Rose's mind was in a lot of places – the ambush they had planned for the morning chief among them. Bismuth had promised her something that could assure their victory at the ziggurat, though, and possibly even turn the tide of the war. That was worth looking into – and Bismuth's designs hadn't failed them yet. She'd even mentioned some upgrades she'd been working on for some of the Crystal Gems' summoned weapons. That sounded promising...

 

“You're gonna love this, Rose,” Bismuth gushed, as they made their way down the volcano's steep side to the Forge. “The _power_ of this thing...we're gonna win this war, and Homeworld's gonna regret the day they tried to mess with _our_ planet.”

 

Rose smiled, amused by Bismuth's enthusiasm. “I can't wait to see it.”

 

“I can't wait _for_ you to see it!” Bismuth cackled happily as she opened the door to the Forge, nodding for Rose to follow her inside. “Tomorrow morning...you watch what happens. We're going to walk out the other side of that battle with our gems shining.”

 

“I certainly hope so.” Rose's tone was optimistic but wary. The ziggurat would be key for the Crystal Gems, as it was a major base of operations for Yellow Diamond's troops, but it wouldn't be easy to take. The element of surprise would be important, but once they were in, it would take skill, determination, and hopefully Bismuth's new weapon. “We need this win.” Both strategically and for morale, honestly.

 

“I know,” Bismuth agreed. “And I'm gonna give it to you.” She paused briefly, looking around the Forge. “Listen. We both know those Homeworld goons aren't gonna shatter me. But if anything happens tomorrow--”

 

Rose held her hands up, shaking her head. It was always a legitimate concern, but they'd lost so many in this war already. She couldn't bear the thought of losing one of her most trusted lieutenants as well. “Don't talk like that. We're going to get through this just fine. Maybe a little scratched up, but I know a good medic.”

 

Bismuth chuckled, nodding as a small smile tugged at her lips. “Okay, fair. You're the best, Rosie. But...seriously, in the event of massive failure, I want you to know how to get in here. There's a secret entrance. The access points, the blueprints – all of it, I've got that locked in a chest back at our base. If anything happens to me, you bust that open and get what you need, all right?”

 

“All right.” Rose nodded. She reached out, closing her hand around Bismuth's wrist. “But nothing's _going_ to happen. We're going to walk away with our heads held high.”

 

“Darn right we are.” Bismuth grinned, moving to activate the lever that would take them to the lower level, where she did most of her prototype work. “Now – on to my new baby. You're about to meet the game-changer.”

 

Rose laughed excitedly; the suspense was killing her. “Is that what you're calling it?” Bismuth named most of her weapons. Her pride in them was unmistakable – and well-deserved.

 

“Oh, no. I came up with something even better for this one.” Bismuth picked up the weapon – and though its design didn't make its purpose immediately clear, Rose was intrigued. It had two straps and slipped easily onto Bismuth's arm. The metal tip looked deadly – a punch with that could certainly destroy a Gem's physical form. “I call it the Breaking Point.”

 

“Very nice,” Rose murmured, moving closer to admire it. Bismuth's punch alone had been known to disable Gems and force them to regenerate. With that, she would be unstoppable. “What's the mechanism in the back for?” It seemed to allow the weapon to do something other than just augment physical blows.

 

“That's the beauty of this little baby.” Bismuth stroked the top of the weapon, turning to deliver a quick jab to one of her iron test dummies. The first strike barely dented it, but once Bismuth activated the weapon, chunks of iron fell to the floor. Rose's eyes widened. “You like that?”

 

Rose was a bit overwhelmed – and vaguely concerned – at the sheer force the Breaking Point could deliver, but she nodded. “It certainly won't be a struggle to force them back into their gems.”

 

“Mmm-hmm.” Bismuth nodded. “And the Breaking Point will do what your sword _can't_.”

 

Rose frowned, her concern growing. If the Breaking Point could shatter iron dummies, shattering a gem would be an easy feat. More and more, she began to wonder if that was exactly what it was _designed_ to do. Something she'd specifically wanted her sword designed against. “Bismuth...”

 

“Rose. Listen.” Bismuth set the Breaking Point on a workbench, holding up her hands placatingly, which only confirmed Rose's fears. “I know we've only been shattering other gems as a last resort. But Homeworld hasn't afforded us that luxury.”

 

Rose knew that all too well, but she shook her head firmly. “Bismuth, no.” It was true; the Crystal Gems hadn't been completely able to avoid shattering other Gems, when it was a life or death fight. But to start with that as the _intention_...Rose couldn't condone it. Protecting the Earth and all life on it was crucial. Every day, they fought in the name of the fallen. And Bismuth was right; Homeworld Gems didn't hesitate to shatter them. Two wrongs didn't make a right, though, and Rose wasn't going to abandon her ideals for an easy victory. In her mind, that would just be lowering the Crystal Gems to the level of the Diamond Authority, and they were the last ones she wanted to emulate. “We can't--”

 

“Why _can't_ we?” Never had Bismuth's wide-eyed, questioning expression unnerved Rose so much before. “It's not like those upper-crust Gems give a single damn about us! They're not suddenly going to join us just because we're _nice_!”

 

It wasn't that she couldn't see Bismuth's point. In fact, she _could_ , and that was the part of herself that Rose constantly had to keep in check. She was known for her compassion, but there was a dark streak in her where the fury of a quartz warrior lived. It usually only came out where she was trying to protect the ones she loved – and she preferred to keep it that way. They fought for Gems to be free to control their own destiny and that was part of how she controlled her own. She was different from Homeworld's warriors because she chose to be. “So many of them are victims of Homeworld as much as we were.”

 

Bismuth snorted derisively. “Right. So why haven't they joined us by now?”

 

“They're afraid.” The Diamonds kept their control primarily through fear of what would happen if a Gem stepped out of line. “So were you when we first recruited you.”

 

“Yeah, but I got over it,” Bismuth argued. “They've had a few hundred years too many to see the light. If you're not with us, you're against us.”

 

Rose sighed. “Sapphire was part of the aristocracy. Where would we be today if she'd been shattered, without ever having a chance?”

 

“Yeah, but Sapphire took her chance when she had it. We've given Homeworld too _many_ chances.” Bismuth moved to stroke the Breaking Point again, fixing Rose with a determined look. “The rebellion can end here. Will you let it?”

 

Rose sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor. As tempting as it was, on some level...she just couldn't agree to it. “I'm sorry, Bismuth, but it's not right.”

 

Bismuth's fist clenched, a dangerous look coming over her face. “Excuse me? I'm not sure I heard you correctly.”

 

Rose had seen Bismuth this angry before, but not directed at her, and she took a step back – but she wasn't budging on her decision. “It's not right,” she repeated, making a concentrated effort to keep her voice even.

 

“Some leader,” Bismuth scoffed. “You're really going to stand on your precious morals _now_? When they've killed so many of us? When they murdered your _children_?”

 

Rose gasped. Bismuth would have known that would hit her straight in the heart, but instead of devastation, it brought her to anger. “Leave them out of this.” She and Pearl had become mothers to three precious gemlings at the worst possible time, as far as the rebellion was concerned, but their girls were the best thing that had ever happened to them. Her biggest regret was that she hadn't been able to save them. It was the lowest blow Bismuth could have gone for and she resented it. “We don't know they're all gone. We could never find Rosebud and Flora; there's still a chance--”

 

“We know Margalit's gone!” Bismuth shouted, cutting her off. “Isn't that one too many?”

 

“Yes, but there's another way--”

 

“No!” Bismuth shook her head, squaring off directly in front of Rose. “There _is_ no other way! We'd have found it by now. We're the Crystal Gems. And we take back what's ours. Your girls--”

 

Bismuth was going to keep using that, wasn't she? Rose wasn't having it. “I _said_ , leave them out of this. It's not what they would have wanted.”

 

“It's not what _you_ want!” Bismuth growled, advancing on Rose, who didn't have much more space to back up before she'd be stepping in lava. “What kind of leader _are_ you, anyway? You're really going to value some upper-crust gems over _us_? Forget revenge, since you're clearly sitting on your little moral pedestal. Think of the lives we could save! Doesn't that mean anything to you?”

 

“There has to be another way.” If anything could have swayed Rose, it would be the lives saved, but they risked taking far more than they might have spared. She pivoted before she took another step backwards, giving herself more room to maneuver as Bismuth's hand morphed into a hammer. “I don't want to fight you.”

 

Bismuth's hand returned to its default shape, but the sneer never left her lips as she continued to step forward. “That's rich, Rose. That's real rich. Save our enemies. Beautiful.” She clapped sarcastically. “Bravo. A real revolutionary. Forget us! We'll go to our slaughter with smiles on our faces and hold hands with the Diamonds and sing about peace and love!”

 

She knew Bismuth was only mocking her, trying to push her buttons, but Rose could be stubborn, too, and she couldn't help but try to clarify her position. “I'm not talking about--”

 

“Really?” Bismuth laughed darkly. “Because it kind of sounds like you are from over here! Is that what you want? Is _that_ what you think your girls would have wanted?”

 

“Bismuth...” Rose's tone was a low, warning growl, and though Bismuth wasn't brandishing a weapon, she drew her shield. It was more of a reflex than anything, though it certainly would have been nice if the shield could have protected her emotions as well as her body.

 

Bismuth didn't stop; if anything, the shield had probably convinced her she was getting to Rose. And, oh, she was – in all the worst ways. That didn't mean Rose intended to back down. “You weren't _there_ , Rose! Maybe you can sit all high and mighty on principle because you were off searching with Garnet for the other two. But maybe you might wanna ask Pearl how she feels about this? Because you weren't there, breaking into that holding cell. I was! _I_ picked her up and carried her home, when she was too overwhelmed to even move under her own power! But, sure, just go ahead and speak for her and everyone else, _including_ your girls. Because you weren't there to see Pearl clutching Margalit's shards in her trembling little hands.”

 

Rose dropped her shield, something in her snapping at that. She stepped forward, shoving Bismuth. “Stop! Just _stop_!” She'd seen how traumatized Pearl had been after that rescue; of course she had. And it still haunted her, wondering if there was anything else they could have done to get there sooner. Any place safer they could have hidden their daughters away. Her guilt gnawed at her and as much as Rose _knew_ Bismuth was lashing out to get her to give in, it unleashed the full force of Rose's deeply buried rage. She drew her sword from the scabbard, summoning her shield once more. “I don't want to fight you. But that Breaking Point is not going to leave this room.”

 

“You keep saying you don't want to fight.” Bismuth grabbed a spare ax that was lying near her. “I think you _do_. So have it your way.” She lunged forward, the ax's blade striking Rose's shield with a level of force that would have sent a smaller Gem flying. Their blades clanged together as Rose brought her sword up to block the next blow, knocking the ax from Bismuth's hand. Of course, Bismuth still had her hand itself, which she shifted into a scythe. “You're going to deny your army the best chance to win? What kind of leader _does_ that?”

 

Rose dodged Bismuth's next blow; the advantage of their pre-battle sparring sessions was that

they were pretty good at anticipating each others' moves. Of course, that would also be her disadvantage, as Bismuth was likely to anticipate hers. Rose would have to do what she always did - and what Bismuth was trying to do, in her own misguided way...change the game. Instead of striking, she dropped to the floor, rolling past Bismuth and coming up behind her, sword in hand as she jumped up. The floor was a bit hot for her tolerance, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle – though it was one of the rare times in her existence she wished she'd designed her form with shoes. She usually wasn't down on the lower level this long. “Bismuth, stand down and we'll talk about this.”

 

“No!” Bismuth's dreadlocks whipped around her face as she spun to face Rose. “I tried to talk and you wouldn't listen. You're not leaving me with a whole lot of choice.”

 

“We _always_ have choices,” Rose insisted, just in time to duck a chunk of iron that had been flung over her head. She pulled her shield, deflecting another. “I know you want to protect your friends, but--”

 

“No buts!” Bismuth lunged at Rose, shoving her hard into one of the rock walls. “That's _all_ I want to do! I thought that was all you wanted to do, but I was wrong. How can you call yourself a leader if you won't—what kind of _mother_ \--”

 

“I did the best I could!” Rose screamed, tears springing to her eyes. She swung her sword in a wide arc, using her control over her own gravity to aid her aim. Bismuth's words had cut deeper than any weapon could and in that moment, Rose was on the battlefield. Her sword hit home, as effectively as ever – directly through Bismuth's midsection. They gasped at the same time. Bismuth was staring at Rose in disbelief and shock, the pain clear in her eyes. The blinding fog of rage began to lift and Rose shook her head. “I'm sorry. I—Bismuth, I'm _sorry_.”

 

“Guess this was the only way it could have ended.” Bismuth's voice was strained and Rose was afraid to ask what she'd meant by that. “Do me a favor and...tell the others what happened. Let 'em make their own choices.” And, with that, she disappeared, her gem falling to the floor.

 

Rose stared at the sword in her hand, still horrified, then sheathed it and picked up Bismuth's gem. She held it in her hands, tears streaming down her face. Bismuth hadn't been wrong about their losses. And yet – Rose couldn't let the end justify the means. Casualties of war were one thing, but if they left here with the intention to kill any Homeworld gems who opposed their cause - where did they stop? But Rose had lost so much. She'd lost many friends. Her daughters. And...now Bismuth. Bubbling her was an easy task, but still one of the hardest things Rose had ever done.

 

And she couldn't even fulfill Bismuth's final request. As much as Rose believed in a gem's own agency...this was too dangerous. She knew other Crystal Gems, angry at the abuse they'd suffered, were likely to agree with Bismuth's position. Their army was small enough as it was, compared to Homeworld's. They absolutely could _not_ afford a faction split. That would end the war, and not in Earth's favor. Plus, Bismuth was well-loved by the others, for the same reasons Rose loved her. She couldn't tell them what happened. Not at this critical point. Perhaps someday. And...perhaps someday she could unbubble Bismuth, when emotions weren't running so high and they could talk through this. For now, she at least owed it to Bismuth to keep her gem safe – and she would.

 

By the time Rose was able to bring herself to leave the Forge, she had to head straight for the ziggurat to assume her position. Just as they'd planned. She had to clear her head and focus on the battle, and victory. And they _were_ victorious. As their armies celebrated around them, Rose broke down in tears with Garnet and Pearl at her side, telling them how she'd lost track of Bismuth. She told them she didn't know what had happened. As much as it pained her to lie to them, her emotions were absolutely real. She tried to tell herself she was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. And wasn't it at least true that she didn't know what happened? What happened to their friendship?

 

The others searched, but they never did find Bismuth. And they never would. Only Rose knew where she was, but she was safe. And that was all Rose could comfort herself with for the moment. That, and the knowledge that she'd left the Breaking Point on that workbench...just in case time revealed that all her ideals were wrong and Bismuth had been right.

 

* * *

 

 


End file.
